Precious Moments
by JennBenson
Summary: A series of ones-shots - some fluffy, some angsty, but all of them 100% Tuckson.
1. Protect You

**_Hello everyone! I'm back (ish) with a series of one-shots. These are all stand alone fics with different settings, ranging in length and tone. Some will be fluff, some will be angst, but all will be Tuckson. Feel free to PM me with requests or ideas, and I'll see what I can do._**

 ** _This one in particular is a couple of years down the road...I'll let you figure out the rest._**

 ** _#Tuckson_**

* * *

Ed and Olivia stumbled out of the bar and onto the West 23rd Street sidewalk. It was a clear night but the wind was brisk, causing a chill to immediately run through Olivia's body. Ed instinctively pulled her into his side, taking his place walking closest to the street, as they ambled towards the uptown C train entrance.

"That was fun," Olivia mused, her face totally relaxed, likely from both the bourbon and the evening out with her squad. "It's been a long time since we've all gotten together, outside of the precinct."

"Yeah," Ed said quietly, his arm still securely wrapped around his wife's waist. "Rough few months, huh."

"To say the least," she mumbled, moving to fiddle with her gloves and scarf, almost a characteristic move as she worked to shove unpleasant memories down. Shaking her head and looking froward, Olivia allowed a smirk to grace her face. "In the past now."

"Carisi seemed more grounded," Tucker continued to analyze, going over the body language of each of Olivia's detectives.

"He was," Olivia allowed, her head falling to Ed's shoulder. "Rollins was relaxed. Fin was…well, Fin. Nice to see everyone themselves."

It had been a rough stretch for New York City's dedicated detectives. A serial child rapist had inflicted terror upon an East Harlem neighborhood, consistently thwarting the NYPD at every attempt they made to capture him, for about six weeks. During that time, Ed had really stepped in and become primary care giver for Noah, as Olivia worked almost twenty hour days. Having retired the year before, Ed was easily able to arrange his contract work around whatever his wife needed, but it proved to be a trying time for the couple in their first year of marriage.

The case finally broke when the mother of one of the victims cornered their suspect in a coffee shop, but she had lost her cool and was holding the entire shop hostage. Emotions running rampant, the SVU detectives, alongside of HNU, had set up camp working tirelessly to talk the mother down. This particular case had been run by Carisi and Rollins, so they tried to talk the mother off her emotional ledge, only to end up watching in horror as she turned the gun on herself.

The rapist captured, and presumably locked away for good, the detectives slowly began to muddle through the paperwork and aftermath of that kind of case. But the reality was it was hard. Cases with kids always were, but it especially hit harder as they truly experienced the traumatic aftermath of what sexual violence can do to families.

"And how are you doing?" Ed finally asked as they paused, waiting to cross 9th Ave. He knew she had been more focused on the recovery of her detectives, but he had seen the worry and the trauma in her eyes throughout the ordeal. How she'd stay longer in Noah's room when she checked on him, the way she held onto the little boy a little tighter each morning, and how her body would just instinctively migrate to touch Ed's any chance she got.

Olivia was a wildly independent woman and perfectly capable of taking care of herself and her son, but with Ed she didn't have to. She was slowly adjusting to that reality, beginning to lean on him even when she didn't realize what she was doing. It was everything Ed had ever wanted, and he had worked hard to get them to that place of total comfort and vulnerability.

"I'm okay," she allowed quietly, looking up and kissing his chin, before dragging him to cross the street.

Ed just kissed the side of her head, agreeing to drop the subject for now, and they continued to walk in peace until they passed by a rowdier bar with a large group of intoxicated men outside. It was almost second nature for Ed to pull Olivia closer to his body, not having time to swap to the other side of her, placing himself between her and the men. But true to character, she didn't even flinch.

"Heyyyyyy hot stuff," one of the guys said, as they all looked up to eye the attractive older woman passing by.

Another let out a long whistle.

"Damn are you a MILF or what."

Ed's grip tightened even more and his stride quickened.

"Isn't it early for this?" he whispered to Olivia, as she just shook her head and ignored the catcalling.

"People are idiots at all hours," she mumbled.

"Mmm, she'd be a good time bro," the one said, his eyes following the couple as they now walked away from them.

Olivia gripped Ed's jacket at that statement, physically feeling his body tense at the words. No one spoke to, or about, his wife like that.

"Let it go," she said. "Come on."

* * *

Olivia snuck into Noah's room once she had changed and washed her face. She sat down on the edge of the bed, running her fingers lightly through his short brown hair. He was out cold, curled up on his side, cuddling his bear.

"Sweet boy," she whispered, still unable to take her eyes off of him. She'd made it a point to leave the office on time every day for the past week, trying to make up for the long hours she had worked, and this was the first night in about 10 days that she had missed bedtime, though the night out was needed.

Watching her son sleep, that familiar burn came back into her gut. She thought back to Carolyn and the anguish she saw on her face before she turned the gun on herself. It was the anguish of a mother who couldn't protect her baby. It was that anguish that Olivia felt bubble up watching Noah, completely innocent, slumber in her presence. Her little boy trusted her and Ed to keep him safe, and before she left him to his sweet dreams, she promised him that safety again.

"I love you, Noah," she whispered, leaning down and nuzzling his cheek with his nose, as she spoke softly to him. "I'm always going to protect you. Both Mommy and your Tucker…we are right here. And we'll never let anything, or anyone, hurt you."

She stayed like that for a few more minutes, gathering herself in preparation to leave him for the night. Finally kissing his cheek one more time, she stood up, adjusted his blanket, and crept out of the room, leaving the door cracked.

Ed was waiting for her on the couch, two glasses sitting on the coffee table with a small amount of bourbon and a few ice cubes.

"Thought a few more sips couldn't hurt," he said as Olivia fell onto the plush cushions beside him, her head sinking back and her eyes closing.

"Mmmhmmm," she mumbled, rolling her neck so her head landed on Ed's shoulder. He let out a chuckle and wrapped her up in his arms, kissing at her hair and letting her melt the day away.

"He's still out?" Ed asked, the need to just talk to his wife winning over the silent contentment.

"Like a light," she responded, looking up at him, her eyes drooping but her smile large.

"Good," he grunted out, stroking Olivia's cheek and searching her eyes. "And you?"

She let out a sigh, but didn't move away from his question this time.

"I'm okay, baby," she assured him. Looking at her in that moment, he knew she was telling the truth. But Olivia could sense that Ed, in fact, was not okay. "But I don't think you are?"

He smirked, tracing her lips with the pad of his index finger.

"Can't get anything by you, huh."

"The cons of marrying a detective."

"Lieutenant," he corrected, pride evident in his tone.

"That too," she said, her smile growing and the corners of her eyes crinkling. "Ya gonna talk to me?"

Ed reached out to take his tumbler, sipping at the bourbon before responding.

"I don't know why, but I can't shake the memory of those...men...from my head," Ed ground out, but his blue eyes darted down, almost as if he were ashamed of how upset he was.

Olivia took note, but couldn't help but dismiss the encounter at first.

"I've seen way worse, Ed."

"I know you have," he said, looking up again. "And I hate that. But it doesn't mean I don't wanna protect you from the little things too."

"Ed, it's fine."

"But it's not," he says, putting his glass down and taking both of her hands, his blue eyes piercing into her brown orbs. "Do you have any idea the lengths I'd go to, in order to keep you safe?"

Olivia froze. Even after being with Ed for a couple of years, sometimes the depth of his love for her took her breath away. This was one of those moments.

"I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head, feeling terrible for dismissing him at first. "And…I do know."

Ed just kept his eyes locked on hers, trying to decipher if she really understood just how much he loved her, and all the things he would do in order to keep her safe and happy and in his arms.

"Anything," he whispered, brushing his lips against hers lightly, before whispering again. "I'd do anything for you."

* * *

The mattress creaked lightly as Olivia rolled Ed onto his back, straddling his waist as her lips made a trail down his neck and chest.

Ed's hands were restless. He caressed her back and sides, dipping down to tickle lightly on the backs of her thighs, before tangling them in her hair as she licked and nipped at his pecs.

"Liv…" he grunted out, his hips beginning to thrust on their own.

"What do you need, baby?" she asked, her deep, husky bedroom voice driving him further towards the cliff, as she resumed her torture on his body.

"You," he grunted, finally pulling her up and tossing her onto her back. Ed pounced, pinning her arms above her head and spreading her legs with his. Olivia squirmed, positioning her hips so that he could enter her, but he paused.

"Ed?" she asked, puzzled at how they had gone from him about to fuck her senseless, to the emotion and passion bubbling up in his eyes.

"I love you," he croaked out, leaning down and gently nuzzling her nose with his. He softly kissed at her face, whispering "I love you" in between each one.

Olivia sighed, her head falling to the side as his light facial scruff tickled her neck. No one had ever loved her better, and more completely, than Ed Tucker. But moments like these, when emotion just overtook his body, were her favorites. He savored her, cherished her, and loved every ounce of her, inside and out.

His head finally popped back up so they were eye to eye as he slowly moved to enter her body. Ed released her hands, so he could caress her breasts and stomach, before sheathing his entire manhood inside of her.

Olivia bit her bottom lip, willing her emotions down for the moment, and moved to cup his face.

"I love you, Ed Tucker," she whispered, kissing him gently and willing him to move. "And I've never felt more safe, more protected, than I do in your arms."

* * *

Ed arose from his slumber a few hours later, a chill taking over his body. He groaned a bit, rubbing a hand down his face, before opening his eyes and looking down.

Where was the comforter?

His head lolled to the side and a smile grew on his face. A mop of tangled, brown hair was sprawled on a section of his pillow. Olivia, as she usually did when she fell into a deep sleep, had taken the covers and wrapped herself up in a cocoon, her body still in the middle of the bed so she was close to her husband.

It wasn't often that Ed would wake up to the blankets being gone, but when he did, his heart fluttered. It meant his wife was finally at peace and able to sleep. He gently moved to uncover her face, making sure she had space to breathe, before grabbing the throw blanket from the ottoman under the window and laying back down on his back, hands behind his head, breathing deeply.

Olivia stirred a bit, mumbling something unintelligible, as her body shifted and she slung her head back on his chest. Ed wrapped his arms around her, his body still a little chilly as he got comfortable under the extra blanket, and he closed his eyes again.

He'd sleep with a chill every night if it meant that his wife felt safe.

* * *

 ** _Well?_**

 ** _Leave a review and we'll see what comes up next..._**


	2. Aftershock

_**Hello...it's me. I've been wondering...nevermind, let's not go there.**_

 _ **I know it has been a while, and I can't promise anything other than the installment you are about to read. But this is my attempt at getting back on the saddle, so to speak.**_

 _ **Set just after the conclusion of Post-Mortem Blues, this one-shot explores an idea that MarigoldMusings unknowlingly planted in my head a long time ago in one of her earlier Tuckson fics. So thanks to that, and her continued encouragement, we have this little drabble. It has potential to turn into something more, but that still remains to be seen, so for now we are leaving it here.**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

 _ **#Tuckson**_

* * *

"Another one, sir?"

Ed nodded at the bartender as he finished off the amber liquid in his tumbler and waited patiently for a refill.

It was a little after nine on a Friday evening, and it had been a hellish week. Ed Tucker, albeit accidentally, had made a career off of finding, and indicting, dirty cops. Cops who took the law into their own hands. Cops who used their power for their own gain. Cops who were corrupt, or violent. He had never set out to punish good cops who found themselves in horrific situations. But, to him at least, that is what it felt like he had done over the last few weeks.

Olivia Benson was under his skin. Ever since she first stepped foot in the IAB interview room the day after she was taped to a table in an abandoned granary, he had to fight every instinct not to just break the camera and tell his people to back off.

But he didn't.

He had, however, tried to get Benson to go with their theory of justifiable homicide. Deep down, Ed Tucker knew that Olivia was telling the truth. He believed every word that came out of her mouth in the interview room. But he also had been around the game for too long, and he knew that whether he, himself, believed her didn't matter. What mattered was what he could close, quickly, and not have anyone question it ever again. For her sake.

But, no surprise to him, she didn't go for it. Later on, Draper appeared to be astonished that she wouldn't let them close the case, no matter what the real story was. But Ed wasn't.

"She doesn't trust me," he said, his voice short, making it clear that he didn't want to talk about it anymore. "She doesn't trust us. And she has more integrity than anyone I've ever known."

 _She doesn't trust me._

The words echoed in his mind as the bartender handed him another Hudson Baby and he took a larger than intended sip. But the burn felt good. He needed it.

All he wanted to do, as soon as he had cut that tape off in the interview room, was protect Olivia Benson. He couldn't explain it, other than a switch had just cut on in his head, and he suddenly was seeing her in a totally different light. But she wouldn't let him.

 _That's not what happened._

Those words, and the look in her eyes, still felt like a piercing knife in his heart. All these years not trusting cops, taking them down, and telling himself what he did was right and just, seemingly ended with a brown-eyed detective crumbling him with four words.

In the end, justice was served in the way of not returning an indictment. When Draper relayed the message to him in his office, he felt hundreds of pounds lift off of his shoulders. In fact, he was so relieved that he had quickly dismissed Draper and closed his office door, leaning his head on the cold, dark wood and closing his eyes.

That was two days ago, and he was still beating himself up over what everything implied.

 _Why is this bothering me so much_ , he asked himself, shaking his head and glancing at the TV, but not caring about the the latest episode of Sports Center.

"One more, then I'm done," he said gruffly, and shifted a little before turning his head to the right to observe the new patron. His eyes narrowed, almost not believing his luck.

"Sergeant Benson?" he asked, having to stop himself from just saying 'Olivia'.

Her head snapped up causing his heart to immediately constrict, leaving him almost breathless. Those normally inquisitive, fiery brown eyes seemed even more dim than he remembered.

"Lieutenant Tucker," she nodded, suddenly deciding not to take off her coat as she ordered a drink. She pretended to busy herself on her phone, but was very aware that the blue eyed man was still looking at her.

"You wanna open a tab, ma'am," the bartender asked as he slid her glass of red over with a napkin. Olivia nodded, turning to dig in her bag, but Ed made his move.

"Put her on mine," he said, with another nod. "On me, Benson."

"Oh, uh," she stammered, blinking quickly and taking a few small sips, before looking up at someone she once considered her enemy. "Thanks, Tucker."

"You can call me Ed, ya know," he said. "We're not on record or anything."

Olivia raised an eyebrow, giving Ed a little relief from his worry. That feistiness was still there somewhere.

"You mean you don't have this place bugged?"

She meant it as a joke, and Ed knew that, but it still stung. So he gave her a small smile and tried to brush it off.

"Nah," he said. "I save that for when I run into the guys from the 1-3."

Olivia smiled, lifting her glass towards Ed for a mock cheers before she took another sip and turned back to playing with her cocktail napkin. Tucker, feeling a little bit of liquid courage, grabbed his glass and relocated to the stool right next to her, allowing them to sit side by side, but neither looking up.

He finished off the last of his bourbon and gingerly placed the glass down, running one of his fingers around the rim as he finally spoke again.

"I'm sure you're…relieved…after, ya know," he stuttered, astonished at himself for fucking up such an easy congratulatory statement. But Olivia shrugged, clearly not bothered by his lack of coherent sentences.

"I am," she breathed out, tearing at the napkin, then tapping lightly on the wooden bar. "Been a long week…month…year, really."

Ed just nodded, again, clearly unable to form any other kind of acknowledgement. But it didn't seem to bother Olivia, as she signaled for another drink.

"One more?" she asked, pointing towards his tumbler. Ed did a double take. Did she want him to stay longer? Nothing could have prevented him from obliging her in that moment.

"Sure," he said, the bartender remembering his order and confiscating the empty glass. "Draper mentioned you were back full-time next week…"

"Yeah…" she sighed, about to continue when their drinks were delivered. Again, she raised her glass to his and lightly clinked, before sipping and continuing her thought. "I do…better…when I'm busy. Working."

"I understand that," Ed commiserated. He could only imagine that Olivia often felt the same amount of loneliness he did, given their line of work and not having families at home. Ed likely would be doing the same thing.

"But, Murphy is insisting that I ease back into it," she said, obviously a little loosened up by the alcohol. Ed was surprised, but delighted, that she was actually talking to him. "So I'll probably be at a desk until he decides I'm not broken."

"Olivia," Ed said, not meaning to use her first name, but he couldn't help it. She looked up, tired brown eyes meeting his sincere blue ones. "You are anything but broken."

She swallowed hard, not wanting to show any emotion in front of the IAB Lieutenant, but he was good at reading people. He knew he had struck a chord, so he let the words linger before he backed off and went for another sip.

"See?" he said, laughing in an almost self deprecating way. "I'm not so awful."

Olivia didn't say anything at first, she just tilted her head a little to the side, and finally took a good, long look at Ed Tucker. What she saw, not only surprised her, but it softened her heart just a tad.

"No," she said softly, pushing her hair behind her ear and letting out a soft sigh. "You're not."

* * *

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Olivia immediately pursed her lips together.

What is going on, she asked herself, as she felt her body relax a little bit on a stool next to Ed Tucker, of all people. But, despite her mind screaming at her, she found herself enjoying his company. His presence. It almost felt comforting and safe, given her last week.

"Buncha talkin' heads," she heard him mumble, as she glanced up at the television screen showing some kind of sports talk show. She smiled and tapped her glass, appreciative of Ed breaking some of the heaviness of her latest comment.

"Not a sports guy?" she found herself asking, her voice nearly reaching her flirtation tone, which again threw her for a loop. But Ed must not have picked up on it.

"Nah," he said. "I'll catch some games in person, but I can't stand all the analytics. These guys get paid millions to make bar talk on national television."

Olivia snorted.

"True words, Tucker," she said, reaching over and pulling the bowl of bar pretzels towards them. She placed it between their drinks and popped one in her mouth.

"Never pictured you as one to eat communal snacks," he commented, popping a few into his own mouth and eyeing her as he chewed silently. She just shrugged.

"Never pictured myself doing a lot of things I've done recently," she said, her tone going dark before she could stop herself.

Ed froze. Olivia winced. She hadn't meant to go that far.

"Ya know," Ed began, once again assuming he was fueled by liquid courage and hoping he didn't regret this later. "What you did…" he paused, suddenly suffering from a dry mouth.

Olivia sat still, watching the hardened, seasoned IAB Lieutenant stumble over his words. She was mesmerized, yet surprised, as she waited patiently for him to say what he wanted to say. What he clearly needed to say.

"What you did…was nothing short of heroic," he rasped, as Olivia's jaw dropped just a little bit. He looked nervous, maybe embarrassed, after his admission. But the entire moment had left Olivia stunned.

"Tucker…" she began, realizing now it was her turn to stammer. But she met his eyes and realized that he was being sincere. Those blue eyes that she used to be afraid of, that she used to get so mad at, now seemed to take on an entirely different look. Compassion? Awe? A hint of loneliness? Exhaustion? All emotions Olivia, too, felt in that moment. So she decided to try and embrace them, along with the seemingly "new" Lieutenant Ed Tucker.

"Thank you," she finally said, putting him out of his self-inflicted misery.

* * *

Ed, once again, felt the weight of the world lift off of his shoulders as Olivia accepted his words, his compliment, with a simple and sincere "thank you".

He just nodded and lifted his nearly empty glass to hers. The duo again locked gazes as their glasses clinked together, and they both polished off their respective drinks. He watched as she began to fidget with her napkin again, neither one of them quite knowing how to end their impromptu evening, but Ed could sense his good fortune was waning at least for the moment. He signaled the bartender to close them out and went to grab his coat.

"I get that you...may not trust me. I mean, why would you, given our history," he said, eyes fixed on his own fingers as he buttoned up his dress jacket, but as he finally looked up, he could help but let his shoulders slump a bit, thinking that this may be all the time he gets from Olivia Benson. So he went with his budding instinctive need to make sure she was okay. "I just want to make sure you're taking care of yourself."

"I am," she responded, her voice, though shaky, assuring Ed that she was at least trying.

"Good," he replied, reaching out to give her upper arm a gentle squeeze before turning to sign the credit card receipt, throwing down a twenty, and flashing her a small smile. "I'll walk you out."

* * *

 ** _Well, what do you think?_**


	3. Gone Baby Gone, Part 1

_**JFC, do I have to fix everything around here?**_

 **Gone Baby Gone (Fixed), Part 1 of 2**

* * *

Olivia came out of the back bedroom in a flurry, walking quickly to Noah as he sat at the island munching on his cereal. Kissing the side of his forehead, she smiled down at him sweetly while wiping her lip gloss off with her finger.

"Almost done, sweet boy?" she asked.

"Uh huh," he said, milk dribbling down his face.

"Here bud," Ed said, handing him another napkin from where he was standing in the kitchen, sipping a mug of coffee and eyeing his fiancé. "Liv? Coffee?"

She finally looked up and gave him a soft, but small smile. "No," she said, a regretful tone in her voice. "I really need to get in on time this morning."

Ed smirked. The last few days had been amazing for their little family of three, but not so amazing in the sense that Olivia had been pulled from work more often. Olivia was having to sneak away to handle pick ups and drop offs, while also trying to find some one on one time to try and get to know this new person in their lives. Ever since Sheila Porter had shown up at her doorstep, there had been a growing unease and tension between both Ed and Olivia. While Ed was trying to take a backseat to how Olivia navigated the appearance of Noah's blood grandmother, he still had not been able to shake that something was not right. But over time, this began to let up a little bit and he watched as Olivia was less nervous when Sheila handled pick up, or had Noah for a sleepover. Finally trusting his fiancé, he let it go but continued to keep a close eye on the two most precious people in his world.

"Fair," he finally said. Ed placed his now empty mug in the sink and came around the island, moving to take Olivia into his arms. Foreheads against each other, they took a few moments to steady themselves before the day. "What time is Sheila coming?"

"Around nine," she said softly. "She just wants to get him a new coat. I told her Lucy would meet her back at the apartment at one."

Ed took a deep breath, then kissed Olivia briefly. "I'll take a late lunch and be here," he said, not really posing it as a question.

Olivia smiled and looked at him with teasing eyes, though Ed could also sense a little bit of nervousness in her features.

"Or, I'll tail them the entire way?" he asked, his smirk growing. Olivia finally let out a little laugh and shook her head.

"No," she said. "No, I'm…we're being ridiculous."

"Hey…I will if you say the word," he assured her, making sure that she knew he would do anything in the world in order to ease her fear of this new person in their lives.

"It's fine," she said. "But…I'll let Lucy and Sheila know you'll be here at one, too."

Ed smiled and leaned in for a deeper, but still brief kiss. "I love you, Olivia," he rasped, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I love you too, Ed," she whispered. Finally, but reluctantly, she peeled herself him his arms and moved to hug and kiss her son goodbye. "Bye, sweet boy. Be good for Grandma Sheila, okay? Lucy and Ed will be waiting for you when you get back. And don't forget to make your bed."

Noah shrugged, swallowed his last bite, and hopped off his stool so he could crash into his mother. Olivia kneeled down, holding him as closely as she could and closed her eyes.

"I love you Noah," she whispered, kissing into his hair and pulling back slightly so she could cup his face and give him a smile. "Have fun today."

"Okay Mommy," he said, oblivious to the turmoil this outing was creating. "Love youuuuuu."

Noah gave Olivia a sloppy kiss on her cheek and then hopped into Ed's arms as they watched her go. As soon as the door latched, Noah clung to Ed's neck and looked up at him sweetly.

"You help me make my bed?" he asked, a sly smile growing on his face.

Ed just laughed, put him down, and patted I'm on the head. "Of course. Just don't tell Mommy."

* * *

A few hours later, Olivia was breezing around the precinct making sure her detectives were dotting the "i's" and crossing the "t's" in their latest case. As she moved over towards Rollins, her phone rang and she excused herself.

"Hey Sheila…"

All eyes in the squad room moved to Olivia when they heard Sheila's name. They, much like Ed, were hesitant about this appearance. But after careful research and running checks on her, no one had come up with any reason not to trust her. But as they watched their Lieutenant's body go rigid and her eyes widen, their anxiety rose as well.

"What? When?"

Within minutes, Olivia was frantically jetting to her office as Amanda radioed Midtown South. Before she could even get a response, Olivia had her jacket and was running towards the doors.

"You okay, Liv?" Fin asked, standing and ready to move.

"No, I'm not…it's Noah."

"I'll drive."

"Ed…someone get Ed!" she said, her voice getting higher and more shaky as she gave up on the elevator and darted towards the stairs.

"Already on it," Carisi said, phone to his ear. "Captain Tucker? It's Carisi…"

* * *

Ed was frantic as he pulled halfway onto the sidewalk of the cross street and hopped out of the car. Flashing his credentials, he didn't even stop to see if they okay'd his arrival, he just darted in and out of the people, his eyes on a frantic Olivia as he closed the distance. She was talking to Fin and her hands were flying around as he approached. Olivia was clearly incensed about something, but he could also detect the slight quiver that was running through her body. She was terrified.

"Olivia…" he breathed out heavily from his run through the large shopping mall.

"Ed," she squeaked, immediately turning from Fin and letting him engulf her into his arms as tightly as he could. Ed kissed at her head as he held her to him, neither one of them saying anything at first. "Thank you," she said finally, pulling back and running her hands through her hair. "I…oh god…"

"Olivia," he said, ducking a little bit to meet her eyes. "We're gonna find him. I promise you."

She looked up, her brown eyes desperate for something to hold onto. Ed was just about to speak again when Sheila yelled her name and came running over. He tensed up, a stern and near scowl on his face as he looked at the woman who had somehow lost their Noah.

"I live two blocks from here…maybe he walked to my house?" she asked. Olivia was clearly trying to comprehend everything that was being said, and Ed watched as she nodded, bit at her lip and finally turned to Fin. After he assured her they were on it, she moved to go with Sheila, grasping Ed's jacket in the meantime.

"Come on," he said softly, no longer willing to leave anyone he loved alone in the presence of Sheila Porter. "I'll drive ya."

* * *

After a thorough check of the Porter residence, Ed approached Olivia as she stood hunched over Sheila's mantle. He squeezed her shoulder, causing her to jump slightly and him to retract.

"Sorry," she breathed out. "I'm sorry…I just…"

Right as Ed was getting ready to pull her into his chest, Sheila came back out and Olivia zeroed in on her, firing questions and trying to get her to talk. Ed stood back, his blue eyes icy and narrow as he watched this woman try to keep up with Olivia. If he hadn't been so scared himself, he may have smirked at just how intimidating his fiancé was in that moment.

"Think Sheila!" Olivia said, her fists clenched in front of her body as she fought to keep control of her emotions.

"I'm trying!" the other woman yelled back. "It's not like I wanted this to happen!"

Ed had to stifle a grunt.

"Nobody…nobody is saying that," Olivia finally said, trying to calm her voice. All of her training told her that the calmer she was, the more likely Sheila would calm down to remember information. But the mother in her was screaming.

"Oh, you don't have to," Sheila said, shaking her head and turning around. "Your eyes did. His too," she said with a bite in her voice, looking over at Ed, who was slowly growing intolerant of Sheila being the frantic one as his Olivia, the missing child's mother, tried to stay calm and help the investigation. Olivia again bent over the mantle and Ed went to put his hand on her back, rubbing it so she knew she wasn't alone.

"I should've just held his hand…" Sheila said, barely a whisper. But Ed heard her and glared over at the woman.

"Yes, you should have," he ground out before turning back to Olivia and kissing her head. "Okay baby, I'm right here."

"Can you," she asked, swallowing hard and continuing to try to keep her head in the game. "Can you call Cole? Please?"

"Of course," he said, having already sent him several texts. Ed was hesitant to leave her for the moment, but she gave him a small smile and kissed the side of his lips.

"I'll be fine," she croaked. "Just…I need Noah. Help me find my son."

Ed came back into the room quickly, having summoned Draper to gather his resources to help, and he heard Olivia on the phone calling in details Sheila must have remembered. He stood and watched the scene, his forehead crinkling as he studied Sheila's body language. Just then, Olivia's phone rang. He could tell it was Amanda, so he rushed over and squeezed her shoulder as they talked and went back and forth about what color shirt Noah had on, before Olivia froze and hung up. Before Ed could question, two messages came through and Olivia pulled them up, allowing Ed to look as well. He tightened his grip on her as he felt her body begin to quiver, though it wasn't visible to Sheila just yet.

"Liv…you know him?" he asked under his breath, but she shook her head.

"No, I don't. Ed..." she whimpered, too soft for anyone but Ed to hear. He pulled her into his side and kissed at her hair.

"We're gonna find him, Liv. I promise you."

She allowed him to comfort her briefly, before breaking away and going to Sheila, shoving the phone in her face and trying to get her to recognize the man. But Sheila swore she didn't. Ed stood back, arms crossed as he continued to just watch how Sheila was acting.

Something wasn't right.

For the next several minutes, Olivia continued to pace, waiting for her phone to ring. She occasionally passed by Ed and squeezed his hand, or allowed him to kiss her forehead, but she wasn't relenting to his real desire to just engulf her in his arms and take her away from that woman, apartment, and the photo of Ellie. She was panicked, frantic, and she didn't want to feel better. She wanted her son.

Finally after what seemed like hours, her phone rang and she picked up before the first ring was finished. Ed watched as she began to pace faster and hold her hand to her forehead. All of a sudden she froze, and her voice got deeper, as she demanded Rollins to keep her updated every step of the way. Knowing his fiancé's body language, he began to move towards her. She was coming unglued.

"Liv?" His body was gripped with a fear he hadn't felt since Olivia was in that townhouse with a gun-crazed maniac, but he had to stay calm. He had to be her rock.

"They found the car at a bus station," she said, her breathing becoming more harsh and through her nose, because her jaw was steeled as she tried to fight off whatever sobs were bubbling up. Ed was in front of her now, unsure of what to do, until a voice rang out from behind him.

"Oh god, they could be anywhere," Sheila said, but Ed lost his cool with her. It wasn't enough she lost their little boy, but now she was selfishly taking Olivia's energy and needing comfort for herself. Ed wasn't having it.

"Shut up, Sheila," he ground out, turning slightly so he could shoot her the harshest Ed Tucker glare he had in him. But his attention quickly moved back to Olivia as he heard a sharp intake of air. Her hand moved to her chest as her shoulders and head began to shake.

"I can't breathe…" she said, her voice cracking at the end as her legs finally gave out and she went down. Ed moved quickly, catching her as she plummeted. His arms surrounded her as she let her weight just collapse against his body. He gripped her tightly, one hand around her waist so she wouldn't fall, and the other one rubbing her back, shoulders and gripping her hair.

"I'm right here, Olivia," he whispered, his own eyes closing in terror as he tried to focus on the love of his life as she began to fall apart in his arms. "We're gonna find him, baby. Shhhh shhhh."

* * *

An hour later, Ed was crouched down in front of an increasingly distraught, yet trying to stay calm Olivia. Her and Sheila were seated at Sheila's table by the window, and Ed was holding Olivia's hands and rubbing his thumb along her palm soothingly, getting her to breathe and take a beat. Sheila had been quiet, staring out of the window, lost in thought. One look into Olivia's eyes, and Ed could see it all; the fear, the anger, the raw anguish. But he also saw a bit of skepticism, which mirrored his own. Letting out a long breath, he stood up, kissed her, and offered to make tea.

"There's a whole collection…in the cabinet above the kettle."

Ed nodded his thanks to Sheila, gave Olivia's hand one more squeeze, before heading out of the room but keeping his hand in hers until they couldn't reach anymore. Once Ed was out of sight, Olivia turned to Sheila and tried to give her a smile, but her lips trembled. As suspicious as she was, she needed to keep this woman as close as possible until she got her son back.

"We're gonna get him back Sheila," Olivia offered, trying to make small amends from earlier.

"You don't know that," Sheila argued. "The odds of us finding him…I know how this works."

"Ellie didn't want to be found, Sheila," Olivia finally said, having had enough after Sheila had rambled on. But one look at Sheila's face and she felt bad yet again. Letting her head hit the wall behind her, she backtracked. "I'm sorry. I…I'm sorry. I'm just…I'm scared out of my mind…"

Ed, having heard the entire exchange, felt his blood boil. It was Olivia's son missing, it was his soon to be son missing. She did not need to be the one apologizing. And the energy they were spending keeping that woman together, when it was her fault he was lost to begin with, was something he was no longer willing to do. Abandoning the tea kettle, he marched back into the room and crouched back down to Olivia, ignoring the tears from Sheila.

"Baby, I promise you, I will stop at nothing…I will use every resource I have, even if it means I lose my shield," Ed said. "I'll do it all to get that boy back to us, unharmed. I _promise_ you, Olivia."

Finally giving in to a brief onslaught of tears, she fell forwards onto Ed's shoulder and just let him hold her, rubbing her back and whispering to her as she momentarily let the terror of never seeing Noah again wash over her body. Sheila remained quiet, as if she realized that perhaps she should be the one comforting Olivia. Offering an olive branch, she leaned forward and squeezed Olivia's arm, causing the woman to sit up, dry her eyes and look across to her.

"I'm sure…you're more comfortable at your precinct?" she asked. Olivia nodded while Ed rubbed the outside of her thighs, unwilling to lose contact with her. "Let's…why don't we go there."

Throwing her a grateful smile, Olivia nodded and stood, leaning into Ed as Sheila led them out of the apartment and back down to Ed's cruiser, still illegally parked outside of her building.

* * *

Ed was sitting with Fin, pouring over any and every detail they could think of to find someone who may have the means, and meet the description, of taking Noah. Every so often he would look up, watching how Olivia still seemed to be taking care of Sheila. He had since given up on convincing her Sheila wasn't her responsibility, and just resigned himself to making sure Olivia had support she needed and deserved the entire time. One of those ways had been a call he made to Barba, giving him the run down and suggesting perhaps she could use a friend.

Barba didn't disappoint as he came jogging into the precinct, nodded to Ed, and beelined for Olivia as she shut the door and left Sheila in an interview room. But Olivia was focused as she saw Barba. Fin and Ed eyed her as she threw her hand up and breezed by him.

"Please, don't tell me it's going to be okay."

Ed almost got out of his chair, but Fin put his arm out.

"Let it play out," he advised. Ed, knowing Fin was right and trusting Barba to be another rock for Olivia, he sat back down, but his eyes never left his fiancé's form as he watched through her window and listened through the open door.

Barba hurried into her office, having no idea what to say, but turns out he didn't have to right at first.

"Do you know how many times I've told parents to stay calm? You don't know how stupid that sounds until it happens to you…"

"I dunno what to do," Barba admitted as he moved forward, completely at a loss, and kicked himself as all he did was offer her coffee. Immediately, he knew she barely heard him as she shook her head and the tears began to tumble.

"I just want my son!" she cried, slamming her hands onto the desk and slumping over. He moved quickly, pulling her side into his chest in an effort to comfort him, but it was clear she wasn't looking to be comforted in that moment as she pulled back and tried to collect herself. Accepting the handkerchief from her ADA friend, she took a deep breath and kept her head as much as she could.

As she spoke, Ed made his way and leaned against the doorframe, alerting them both to his presence but nodding for them to just continue. He was merely there to make sure she was okay.

"Someone specifically targeted my son," she finally said, her voice breaking. Barba looked to Ed, and cringed at the half devastation half pure anger he saw on the Captain's face. This was ripping them apart, and all he could do was marvel at how well they were holding it together in the process.

Fin came running in, updating on the carseat. Once he left, Olivia took yet some more deep breaths.

"Okay," she said, looking over to where both Ed and Rafael were leaning against her desk and watching her. "Okay."

Ed pushed off the desk and moved to take her hands, leading her to sit on the couch. She did and immediately leaned her head on his shoulder.

Barba, unsure what to do at that point, gave them a small smile before making his exit and promising a return. "I'll have my office handle food for the precinct. Keep everyone awake and alert. We're gonna find him, Olivia."

"Thank you," she said, voice full of tears, but she didn't move from her perch. She needed Ed.

* * *

It was barely half an hour later. Ed was still perched on the sofa in Olivia's office, sipping on a coffee. Olivia, however, had moved back to her desk, clearly pretending to go over files, angrily punching keys on her laptop, doing anything to try and distract herself from the current, devastating reality. Just as Ed was about to go to her, unable to stand watching her torment herself any longer, her phone rang.

"Hey…" she said, her voice tired and exhausted. But her eyes grew wide as she shot up, phone still at her ear, and ran to the window into the interview room. Ed, concerned about what she had just learned, jumped up and went to her, hand on the small of her back as she yelled into the phone and turned around, her deep brown eyes about as fearful and angry as he'd seen them throughout this entire ordeal.

"It was her," she whispered. "Sheila…it was her."

As soon as she finished the sentence, she pulled from Ed and darted into the squad room.

"Where is she?" she yelled, alarming Fin who hopped up.

"Who? Sheila?"

"Where is she Fin?" Ed repeated, his voice just as alarmed which ramped up Fin's concern.

"She left, said she didn't wanna bother you."

"Let's go," Olivia said, tearing off down the hallway, Fin and Ed left to run after her in an attempt to keep up.

Kicking down the door, the trio moved into the apartment with guns drawn. Ed went in first, however, taking even the slightest opportunity to protect the love of his life. He was followed by Olivia and then Fin as they made a quick sweep of the darkened apartment. Dejected, they all lowered their weapons, and watched as Olivia slowly walked towards Sheila's mantle.

"Clothes are still here," Fin reasoned. "She could still come back."

Olivia shook her head.

"She's not coming back."

"Glass half full, Liv," Fin again said, but Olivia kept moving towards the mantle. Ed saw what she was looking at and moved to stand next to her as she processed.

"That has nothing to do with it," she said, her finger tracing the empty spot where Ellie's photo had been. "Its the only thing that mattered to her…she took the photo of Ellie." She sucked in a breath, tears pooling, before whispering the words that almost broke Ed Tucker in two. "She's never coming back."

Not knowing what else to do, in the middle of Sheila Porter's dark, abandoned Manhattan apartment, Ed turned and wrapped Olivia in his arms. She gripped the back of his jacket and held on for dear life, the full weight of what was happening hitting them both. Her tears soaked into his shirt as she cried.

"Oh _Noah_ …Ed, I just want Noah," she wailed, finally letting loose some of her anguish. "Please…oh god, _please_. Someone find my son."

* * *

 ** _Part 2 is already written - that is, if you want it? Lemme know by leaving a review._**


	4. Gone Baby Gone, Part 2

_**Happy Tuckson Tuesday. Here's your part 2. I changed a few tiny little things, but it is about as close to the episode as I could get while plugging in our Ed Tucker (who should've been there to begin with...but I digress).**_

 **Gone Baby Gone (Fixed), Part 2 of 2**

* * *

The One-Six was bustling with detectives. They all poured over anything they could possibly find on Sheila Porter. Ed watched as Olivia learned all the dead ends; bank statements, empty houses, no utilities, no registered car. And with each piece of information, he watched the hope in her face drain. Trying to be encouraging, Rollins let her know they had informed the State Police.

"Great," she said sarcastically. "Which state?"

Shaking her head, she made a beeline for her office. Ed followed and shut the door, slowly moving towards where she was hunched over her desk. He tentatively reached out for her shoulder.

"How stupid am I?"

"Stop it…" he whispered. "Hey...I'm right here."

Her shoulders began to shake, but she didn't turn around. "I gave her my son," she whispered. "I…you…we both had this feeling, we didn't trust her, yet somehow…I just…handed Noah over," she said. Ed tried to get her to turn around but she fought him off. "That little boy depended on me, on us, to protect him. And this is what I did? I just…let this stranger walk into his life and take him. Away from us. Away from _me_. I'm his mother…"

At the last statement, the tears started again and Ed could no longer stand it. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and spooned her as tightly as he could while standing. He placed his mouth right at the shell of her ear as he began to speak.

"This is not your fault, Olivia," he said, his tone firm yet still soft, something only Ed could pull off with Benson. "You did what you thought was best. We both did. This…you couldn't have seen this coming. No one, not even you, could have predicted it."

Olivia finally moved her hands to grip his sturdy arms, holding on with all of her strength, but not turning around.

"I don't…" she began, swallowing her tears in an attempt to regain control. "I don't know what I'll do if I lose him…"

"Stop," Ed said quickly, his grip tightening as his stomach twisted at the thought. "Stop it, Olivia. We'll find him. I know we will. He's gonna be back in your arms soon."

Her body shook, but the tears began to dry up, leaving only soft hiccups behind.

"I promise you," he said, one last time. "We'll all be back together before you know it."

* * *

It was dark. Olivia sat motionless at her desk, studying the pictures that littered the wooden surface. Some were just of Noah, some of her and Noah, and some now included Ed. She caught herself smiling as she thought back to the memories of park dates, beach trips, and even memories of Paris filtered through her mind, but she quickly shook herself into reality.

Ed was sitting on the couch, watching, as he refused to take his eyes off of Olivia. Ed prided himself on being her protector, her rock. He knew it hadn't been easy for them to keep their relationship going through the last two years, but they had. She slowly let him in, opened up to him, and now he was the person in her life she knew she could count on. He had never, ever let her down. But in that moment, as he watched the sheer panic and devastation take over her entire being, he felt like he was failing her. Ed was completely at a loss. Cole told him specifically to not meddle, that anything he or Olivia did could jeopardize the case. Deep down he knew that, but it still bothered him. He wanted to be out there, threatening anyone and everyone he could find that might lead them to Noah. Cole even let it slip that he was surprised Dodds was allowing Fin, Rollins, and Carisi to run point given everyone's personal interest. But Ed had blown it off. Those three, and Cole, were the only people he or Olivia trusted to find their boy. But as the time passed, and they heard nothing from Barba's visit to the lawyer and Fin's visit to the Private Investigator, their hope to have Noah back to them before bedtime had waned, leaving Olivia more devastated than Ed thought imaginable.

"Is he okay?" she whispered, wondering out loud and not expecting a response. "Is he scared? Does he know I'm looking for him? Or has…Sheila…lied to him. What did she tell him? Does he think I abandoned him? That I'm hurt?" Tears began to pour yet again, but Ed didn't move. He couldn't. Her words were gutting him, but she was giving off that _let me be_ vibe he knew not to mess with. So he sat, gripping his own hands as she continued. "Or maybe, maybe he just thinks it is a trip. Maybe he's fine, he's happy, wondering when I'll show up since I'm always… _at work_."

Her voice broke at the last sentence and she allowed her head fell into her hands. Her entire being shuddered as she closed her eyes and envisioned all the scenarios of her son with that woman, who came in to their lives and tried to gain her trust, then took her little boy. Even worse was for the first few hours she pretended to be frantic, talking about Ellie and how "he could be anywhere", just ramping up Olivia's gut wrenching fear for her little boy. Sheila Porter was more of a monster than Olivia could have ever imagined.

"She could have him anywhere, Ed," Olivia scoffed, her emotions going back and forth between fear, anger, and self-blame with little to no warning of the switch. " _Anywhere_. What if I never see him again?"

"Olivia…" he whispered, wanting to offer some reassurance and getting ready to once again pull her into his arms. But just as he as getting ready to move, Fin burst through the door followed immediately by Rafael.

"We've got something…Sheila's sister was Sarah Cummings…" he couldn't even finish the sentence when Ed was up and moving.

"She have a house? Cabin? Where?" he fired off questions, reaching for his and Olivia's coats.

"Yeah, in Franconia, New Hampshire," he said. Barba stood, pulling his phone out of his jacket pocket.

"Lemme call the FBI and New Hampshire State Police," he said, but Olivia shook her head.

"No…no. I don't want her spooked," she said, looking back at Ed and grabbing his hand as they made their way out of the office.

"There's a flight from LaGuardia in 90 minutes," he said, nodding to Barba, who still had his phone in hand but didn't dial. He trusted his friend. "Two seats with your name on it. I'll drop ya off."

* * *

Ed and Olivia got out of the back of the cab after Ed handled the payment. Not even bothering to look at the cost, he whipped out his Amex, signed, and hopped out, grasping Olivia's hand as they stood at the base of the driveway, looking up at the cabin.

"If I wasn't so terrified, it would actually be beautiful," she said softly, trying to clear her head enough to go in and get her son out unharmed.

"Hey," Ed said, cupping her face and turning her to face him. They stared into each other's eyes for a bit, grounding themselves before he continued. "I want you to know how much I love you."

"Ed…" she said, but he shook his head.

"No matter how this goes down, I love you Olivia Benson. And I can't wait to marry you and to sign those final papers so Noah is both of ours. But Olivia, I promise you right here that I'm gonna do everything in my power to give you your son back and have you both home and unharmed. No matter what it costs me."

"Babe…" her voice shook at the fear that this could go badly, but she took a deep breath and steeled herself, ready to go, as Ed switched back to the positive.

"And when this is over? We'll both take some much needed time off and just be together, with Noah. Take day trips around the city, or maybe go away someplace warm. Okay?"

"Okay…" she said, closing her eyes but keeping her hands firmly against his chest. As she opened them, she looked right into those blue eyes, that were determined. "I love you too, Ed."

He smiled softly and kissed her. "Let's go get our boy. Following your lead, Lieutenant."

The pair crept up the driveway, guns drawn. The cabin was quiet, as if everyone was asleep, which was the hope since it was a little after five in the morning. Olivia signaled for Ed to go around back, checking the windows and any back entrance, as she crept up the stairs to the porch. Ed hadn't made it beyond the side of the house, when he heard a yelp and a crash. His first instinct was to rush for the porch, but he stopped briefly to peer into the window, and he saw Sheila with a gun pointed directly at Olivia, who was hunched over and trying to stand back up.

His heart constricted at the sight. The windows were relatively thin, so he was able to listen in, and immediately calmed down a little as he realized Sheila really just wanted to get Olivia to leave. His gut told him she wouldn't shoot unless she was spooked, so he made no move to interfere, but kept an eye on her body language should that change and took the safety off of his gun, in case he needed to take her out before she could hurt Olivia.

The pair talked and talked, and Ed could hear Olivia's voice getting more emotional as it went on, begging Sheila to understand that Noah was hers. She was his mother, and that he loved her just as much as she loved him. Ed was beginning to fear Sheila wasn't going to back down when he saw Olivia jump, and her face flashed immense releif as Noah went running into her arms. His eyes stayed on the gun, while trying to make sure Noah and Olivia were okay, as Sheila stashed it then moved towards his future wife and son. Ed felt his blood begin to boil as he saw Olivia attempt to shield Noah from this crazy woman and move him towards the door. Their speech was jumbled, almost as if Sheila was finally coming unraveled. Not wasting another minute, Ed bolted to the porch just as Olivia shoved a confused and now scared Noah out of the door, locking it behind him. Noah immediately saw Ed and ran into his arms, his little body shaking as he wondered what was going on. He was still clutching the elephant that Ed had gotten him about a year ago tightly to his chest as he began to calm down in the older man's arms, the arms of the only man that had ever resembled "daddy" to him, though he hadn't quite adopted that monicker. Ed held him closely, while trying to scan his body for any injuries.

"Hey, pal," he said softly, leaning back and looking into his eyes. "Ya okay?"

"Mommy," he whimpered, as their heads turned back towards where they heard yelling, and a few thuds. Ed was reeling. With Noah out of the house, there was no telling what Sheila would do. Hesitant to leave Noah alone, but desperate to get to Olivia, he was finally saved by the sound of other cars pulling up. Carisi and Rollins ran up the drive, and Ed reluctantly handed Noah over after a few bribes and then turned towards the house to shove his way in, but all he heard was sobbing. Unable to be away from Olivia any longer, he and another local officer opened the door and Ed knelt down where Olivia was still holding, and also restraining, a hysterical Sheila on the floor. The two men peeled the distraught kidnapper off of Olivia, and Ed immediately dropped to his knees to take her into his arms. Kissing at her head as she cried, he ran his fingers through her hair and whispered "It's over" a few times as she gathered herself.

"Noah?" She asked, sitting up, her brown eyes searching his relieved, but still slightly worried blue ones.

"Getting checked out, but seemed completely healthy to me," Ed reported, standing up and taking her hands. "He was happily chatting with Eddie the Elephant and Carisi as they made their way to the EMTs."

"Get me to him," she begged, and Ed obliged. Olivia turned back, debating whether or not she wanted to be the one to walk Sheila out, as the woman begged her to understand. But Ed shook his head and lead her out of the cabin with him.

"She's not your problem anymore, Olivia," he reasoned, leading her out of the cabin and down the stairs. "Noah's waiting for you."

"Mommy!" Noah yelled, trying to leap from the back of the ambulance but the paramedics stopped him. Olivia jogged the rest of the way, hopped into the vehicle, and pulled Noah tightly into her arms, kissing his head and closing her eyes, quietly thanking anyone and anything who would listen for her son's safe return.

" _Noah_ ," she said softly. "I love you. So much. _So_ much."

Noah just curled into her, still unaware of the full extent of the turmoil surrounding his little trip into the woods, but perceptive enough to know that something big just happened and this his mother was upset.

"I love you too, Mommy," he said, moving back slightly to play with her necklace and her hair, a move he made when he needed to feel some comfort and security, or sensed someone else did.

"Is Grandma Sheila gonna be okay?" he asked, his innocent blue eyes looking at Olivia and Ed, who had now joined them in the ambulance. Ed put a hand on Olivia's back, signaling the answer was hers but that she wasn't alone.

"I hope so," Olivia finally said. "And, I tell ya what."

"What?" Noah asked, hopping a bit in excitement at his mother's tone.

"How about you, me, Ed, Uncle Sonny, and Aunt Amanda head back home," she said, with a twinkle in her eyes. "And…I bet…we could stop for pancakes, if ya like?"

"Yeah!" Noah yelled, shedding his blanket and moving to get out of the ambulance with the assistance of his mother and Ed.

The trio made their way to the police cruiser as the car containing Sheila Porter drove off into the distance. Carisi and Rollins were already beginning to climb in the front seat. Noah walked, humming softly, between Ed and Olivia. Both adults not taking their eyes off the little boy at first. Finally, Olivia stopped at the car and as Noah climbed in, she grabbed a fistful of Ed's shirt and pulled him close to her, so they were forehead to forehead.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"For what?" he asked, shrugging this off as if it was just what he should have done, and went back to a line he had used before. The significance was not lost on Olivia. "You did great in there."

"No, for not letting me do this alone," she finally got out, voice full of emotion. But this time, the emotion was relief. "For being my rock. And for helping me find my son. Our son."

"You're not alone Olivia," Ed said firmly. "And you never will be again."

Olivia smiled softly and kissed him.

"Come _on_ ," Noah yelled from the back seat. "Let's go! I'm HUNGRY."

Ed and Olivia parted and laughed, their eyes still glued to each other. Ed reached out to play with her hair lightly before kissing her once more and jerking his head towards the cruiser.

"Come on, Liv, let's get our family home."

* * *

Olivia was in the kitchen prepping a tray of snacks while Ed poured drink orders. It was taking her extra time because she kept look out over the living room and smiling, thinking back over the horror of the last few days and just allowing herself to feel grateful that everyone was under one roof and in one piece. Ed, noticing her mind wandering, came up beside her and wrapped and arm around her waist, kissing her cheek.

"Nice feeling, huh," he said, leaning his head against hers as they watched Noah explain to Carisi, again, how to construct the Lego monster so they could fight. Amanda was doing her best to show Jesse how to put the pieces together, but they were a bit too small for her. Noah handed Jesse some of the bigger pieces and said she could build the fort to hide in. Happy with that job, the four of them continued on while Fin leaned back on the couch, happy to observe and make snide remarks on occasion, earning the stink eye from Noah.

Olivia let out a laugh at the latest look Noah gave Fin, but then jumped as she heard a knock at the door.

"Go grab it," Ed said. "It's just Barba. Security called him up a minute ago and I gave them the okay. I'll finish up here."

"Thank you," she said, sneaking a quick kiss and hurrying to the door, arms wrapped around her waist. As she opened it, Barba's face pepped up a tiny bit.

"How you doin'?" He asked softly, not making an attempt to enter the apartment yet.

"Ya know, I honestly don't know how to answer that," Olivia said, knowing that Barba was someone she could truly confide in. "I stay up all night watching him. I hear a sound, I'm up. We went to the, uh, corner fruit stand and some lady said Noah was cute. I practically bit her head off."

She shook her head and Barba just studied her, sensing there was more. He was right.

"But Ed," she said, her smile growing a little bit as she wrapped her hands back around her midsection. "He's right there. He's up when I'm up, checking noises when I get startled. Making sure Noah has Eddie the Elephant next time him during the night. Double checking all the locks and the windows, even though I know I'm being ridiculous. He's…he's been just…"

"Exactly what you need," Barba finished for her, catching her eyes. "And what you deserve."

Olivia ducked her head and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Well, you didn't come here to listen to me talk about that," she said, letting out almost a self-deprecating laugh. But Barba didn't miss a beat.

"I came here to talk to my friend about whatever she wants to talk about," he said with a small smile, before nodding passed her into the living room. "Is she gonna invite me in?"

The duo made their way into the living room, and Barba was met by a very excited Noah who wanted to tell him all about the deer, which led to subsequent joking about jay-walking before Carisi finally began to explain to Barba exactly what they were playing.

Olivia stood to the side, observing the scene. Her friends, her family, were all there to support her and her son. They had all brought snacks and toys, and made plans to stay as long as she needed and wanted them there. As she watched, tears forming in her eyes, Ed sidled up behind her and lightly wrapped his arms around her waist, settling his chin on her head.

"A good sight," he murmured, kissing her jaw but keeping his eyes on the group playing in front of her.

"Such a good sight," Olivia said, covering Ed's hands with her own and playing with her engagement ring. "I sight I may never have gotten again…"

"Don't go there," Ed interrupted quickly, tightening his grip and nodding towards the coffee table. "Concentrate on what's in front of you."

"And who is holding me right now," Olivia added, leaning back and letting her head lean against his shoulder. "Ed you've…you've given me everything. Thank you."

"No need to thank me," he said simply. "This…this is all you. I'm just eternally grateful you're allowing me along for the ride."

The couple stood for a few more minutes in silence, happy to just watch and bask in the knowledge that Noah was home safe and sound and Sheila was not getting out of jail anytime soon.

"I can't wait for all three of us to be Tuckers," Olivia finally said, turning around for one more kiss. Ed just smirked and patted her behind as she moved over to the table to build her own monster.

"Me neither," he whispered, the smirk never leaving his face as he went to sit on the other side of Rollins and help Jesse with her fort.

"This is fun," Noah said. "I like all of us like this."

"We do too, sweet boy," Olivia said, making sure to look around at all of her friends and family. "We do too."

* * *

 ** _And there ya have it - what should have been. Not so hard, huh? Lookin' at you, SVU Writer's Room._**

 ** _Leave me some love and maybe I can find some other inspiration, or even continue through some of the aftermath. Motivation has been spotty these days, but it felt good to get back in the game. Until then, Tuckson forever people._**


	5. Traffic Stop

_**Surprise. I'm out of practice so it might suck and I didn't totally follow the episodes but...I do what I want.**_

 **Traffic Stop**

Ed was pacing. He would start in the kitchen, fidgeting with the magnets holding up Noah's most recent artwork, then he'd move into the little hallway, admiring pictures and straightening books before heading into the living room, stepping around the couch and coffee table and into the foyer. His eyes would land on the doorknob, desperately waiting for it to jiggle with the sound of Olivia arriving home. When it inevitably didn't, he would let out a sigh and head back to the kitchen, take a sip of bourbon, and start the routine over again, allowing himself to think back over the last few days.

 _"Rollins thinks he was making a move on me…" Olivia said, her lips turning into a smirk, loving the ability to tease Ed for a change. Ed's jaw stiffened._

 _"Oh yeah?" he asked, trying to make it look as if it didn't bother him. "Ya gonna go?"_

 _Olivia chuckled, put her coffee down, and wrapped her arms around his torso, nuzzling his morning scruff with her nose. "I thought about it," she said whimsically, "but nah…I've got everything I want right here."_

Ed made another lap, trying to push his memories to the side, but as he once again stared at a still doorknob, his mind wandered again.

 _"Ed, it's just a drink," she argued, running her fingers through her hair. "I've got to get into this guy's head."_

 _Ed let out a sigh and rubbed his face a little harsher than planned. "Liv, I just…I hate this."_

 _Olivia finally paused and looked over at her fiancé's face. He was so steady, and it was so rare that he would voice any hesitation about how she did her job. Seeing the worry in his eyes gave her pause, but she pushed through it, assuming it came from jealously._

 _"You wanna be the only one buying me drinks, Captain?" she teased, lightly kissing his chin. But when his face didn't relax, she pulled back slightly and moved her hands so they grasped the sides of his thin, gray t-shirt. "I'll go right after work," she promised. "One drink and then I'm home. I'll text you. Send you my location. Whatever you want."_

 _Ed let out a sigh and pulled her into his chest, holding her head to his shoulder as he breathed in the scent of her freshly washed, dried, and styled hair. He didn't want her to feel like she had to do any of that, but he couldn't help the feeling he had bubbling in his gut. "You know I trust you, right?"_

 _"I know," she replied, though her voice was muffled due to his tight grasp. "I know you do."_

 _"Okay," he said, allowing her out of his arms so she could kiss Noah goodbye. As she made her way to the front door, she turned around and grinned at him, moving for one last kiss._

 _"I love you, Ed. I'll be home tonight."_

Except she wasn't home yet. She had called, letting him know that she had Noah and was on her way, but it wasn't even twenty minutes later when he got her text. All it said was "Got pulled over. Officer gave me a fucking pat down. Heading home now."

His mind still racing as to why Olivia had been pulled over and his blood boiling at the idea of a random officer putting their hands on his fiancé, he poured himself another drink and right as he touched the glass to his lips, the door finally rattled and opened. He could hear Olivia's soft voice talking to Noah. Ed rushed towards the foyer and helped Olivia get her coat off, as she was struggling to keep Noah in her arms and remove the garment.

"Hey," he said softly, kissing the back of Noah's head and nuzzling Olivia's cheek briefly with his nose. He so badly wanted to pull her into his arms and get her to talk, but he knew Noah was upset. His own worry and curiosity had to be put aside for the time being.

"Noah, it's okay baby," Olivia said, collapsing onto the couch, Noah refusing to leave her lap. "We are home. It's all fine. The officer just made a mistake, okay?"

Noah sniffed and finally sat up. Ed could see his bloodshot eyes.

"Hey bud," he whispered, nervous to intervene but Olivia looked exhausted.

"Police pulled Mommy over!" he said, his jaw trembling again.

"I know, bud."

"Then…then…she had'ta get out of the car!" Olivia cringed. She had been hoping Noah wouldn't need another recap so she could get Ed the information and let him process while they were alone. She could see his body stiffen and his jaw set, blue eyes narrowing as he tried to listen to Noah without falter.

"But it was all okay, right Noah?" Olivia asked, coaching him away from the scary moment and back to the present.

"Yeah." Noah took a deep breath and moved to get down. "Can I take a bath?"

"Sure, sweet boy," Olivia said, standing up and moving towards the bathroom. She paused in front of Ed, leaning down and kissing him firmly. "I'll be right out," she said, making sure he knew that he would be filled in.

"I'll pour the bourbon."

It was hours before Noah fell asleep. It took many stories, songs, and cuddles from both Ed and Olivia before he fitlfully drifted off, both adults expecting that he would be up again at some point. The little boy was too worked up. Hoping they had a couple of hours before another round of Noah anxiety, Ed placed two bourbons on the coffee table and pulled Olivia down onto the couch. She collapsed against his side, her body finally relaxing enough for Ed to feel the slight shaking in her torso.

"What happened, Liv?"

As Olivia recounted the event, her voice grew louder and stronger. "It was Miller," she said firmly. "I know it was. He's flexing his power."

Ed just kept his arm around her, studying her facial expressions, knowing she needed to work through her own thoughts before he gave his.

"He all but admitted what he did over drinks," she said, "and then…he has me pulled over? Patted down in front of my son? Who all does he have in his pocket, Ed?"

"I dunno," he mumbled. "But we can find out, Liv. Let me help you."

Still reeling from her encounter, and needing to feel more in control, Olivia tensed at his comment.

"What's wrong?"

"I can take care of myself, Ed," she said, her voice strong but her eyes telling another story. Ed watched her struggle over the last couple of years to accept him into her life fully, allowing him to care for and protect both her and her son. But occasionally, when she felt as if she was powerless, she would resist him still.

"I know you can," he said slowly. Boldly, he reached out to touch her face, tracing her cheekbone. "But you don't have to. Not anymore."

* * *

"I want spaghetti," Noah said, struggling with the oversized restaurant menu. Ed chucked a little and took the menu from his hands, moving it under his and leaned on his arms, giving Noah a teasing look.

"You always get spaghetti," he said.

Noah shrugged. "It's good!"

Ed ruffled his hair and sat back, looking at Olivia. "Wanna split a few things?"

"Mmmmm," she said, her eyes scanning the menu. "That sounds good. I heard their fried olives were delicious."

"Well, let's test that opinion out," Ed said, moving to signal the waitress but an entering patron caught his eye. "Shit," he mumbled. Before Olivia could turn around to see what caused that reaction, she heard it.

"Olivia," the voice said. She turned around and looked up, straight into the eyes of Rob Miller. "What a coincidence. And you…you must be Noah."

The man extended his arm, but Ed immediately stood up, placing himself between Miller and the table.

"Whoa," Miller said, holding his hands up and smirking. "Easy there, tough guy. Just saying hello to an old friend. Right, Liv?"

Hearing him use the name "Liv" made Ed's blood boil, but he took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. "We're having a quiet family meal," he said slowly. "Thanks for stopping by."

Miller's grin grew, and looked down at Olivia who appeared equally as pissed off as Ed. "Good to see you all. Bye Noah."

Ed remained standing until Miller was out of sight. The waitress came, took their drink orders, but Olivia asked for a few more minutes on the food. She was still rattled.

"Who was that?" Noah asked

"No one important, pal." Ed said, grasping Olivia's hand and directing her back to the menu. "Let's just enjoy lunch."

* * *

Olivia stalked into the squad room. No one was in it seemed, except for Fin. He stood quickly seeing his boss.

"Liv…" he said, catching her as she breezed in. "How ya doin'?"

Olivia stopped and stared at Fin. "How am I doing? How am I doing…"

Fin crossed his arms, bracing for a rampage. But it didn't come as he expected.

"I can't sleep," she said softer than anticipated. "Tossing and turning all night long, searching my brain for anything I can use…" She chuckled, shaking her head before mumbling "I must be driving Ed crazy."

Fin smirked at the mention of Ed Tucker in Olivia's bed. They had kept their growing relationship out of their workplaces effectively. So effectively, that often times Fin would forget she was engaged to the former pain in their ass. When she let these comments slip, he would immediately jump at the opportunity to tease. But the glare he was receiving from the Lieutenant made clear that she was not in the mood.

"Miller can't get to you, Liv."

Olivia scoffed. "Yes he can. He walked right in and introduced himself to Noah. Ed and I were right there!" She shook her head and bit her lip before uttering her next thought. "I should've shot the son of a bitch."

"Liv…calm down."

"No," she said, but before she could say something else, Fin nodded back to her office, signaling she had a visitor. Taking a deep breath, she gave Fin a soft smile and they both made their way into her office, hoping to find a loophole to nail Rob Miller for good.

* * *

Exhausted from what had turned into a long couple of days, Olivia dropped her coat and bag on the floor in the foyer, toed off her boots, and slogged into the living room. Ed was still in his suit pants and crisp light blue shirt, but he was barefoot and his tie and coat were no where to be found.

"Hey," Olivia sighed. Ed eyed her closely. Her shoulders were slumped, her cheekbones were tense, and her lips were turned into a slight frown. But as her eyes met his, he saw a little sparkle in them.

"Hey yourself," he said. "Big guy was already asleep by the time I got in. I took a peek at him. Out cold, elephant and all."

Olivia allowed a small smile, but Ed could tell it was forced.

"Hungry?"

"No," she said, not moving from where she stood. Ed could tell she was out of sorts, so he moved towards the couch, sat down, and patted the seat next to him.

Olivia kept her eyes on Ed for a few minutes before collapsing next to him. She squirmed, trying to get comfortable, despite still being in work pants. Eventually slinging her legs over the arm of the couch, Olivia settled her head on Ed's lap, finally allowing herself to relax as he played with her hair.

"Talk to me," he whispered, adjusting himself so his feet were on the coffee table and both hands could work at massaging her scalp and neck.

"I know he did it, Ed." He didn't even flinch, as they had unfortunately grown used to Rob Miller being a topic of conversation when they were alone. But this time, Olivia's normally resolved voice sounded…defeated?

"But what, Liv?"

"I can't prove it." Her voice shook and she swallowed hard, unwilling to give in to the power Miller seems to hold. But her frustration wasn't easily hid from Ed Tucker.

"Bastard…" Ed whispered, for his frustration was also palpable. "Smug son of a bitch. Just waltzing around, as if no one can touch him, hiding behind that 'power'…"

"That's the thing," Olivia murmured, "He's right. No one can touch him."

Ed let her comment hang in the air for a little bit as he tried to form a response, some kind of rebuttal and reassurance that Rob Miller would pay. But even he knew that wasn't always the case. Sometimes the powerful people won. Despite that truth, he gave it a shot anyways.

"He'll get what's coming to him," Ed said softly. "One way or another."

Olivia just scoffed and allowed the silence to wash over them again. Shifting a little, Olivia sat up and sat cross-legged facing Ed. She rested her elbow on the back of the couch, her head resting lightly on her hand.

"We've both been doing our jobs for a long time…" she commented, her voice lighter but her face no less tense.

Ed reached out to stroke her upper arm where it rested. "Yeah, we have."

"We've both stared down some of the most powerful people."

Ed nodded.

"But this man…" Olivia began to speak, but then shook her head and looked beyond Ed, out of the windows and in the the twinkling lights of the city skyline. After several long minutes of silence, Ed reached out and turned her chin to meet his eyes again.

"But what, baby?"

Olivia shook her head again, her eyes watering slightly.

"We don't always win," she said simply. "The good guys don't always win."

Ed took a deep breath, not wanting to lie to her but needing to empower her, give her back some of that strength and confidence he knew was lurking beneath a defeated surface.

"You'll get him, Liv," he finally said. "He'll slip up and you'll be there to watch him fall."

"Maybe," she said, looking deep into the blue eyes she found so much comfort in, and allowed herself to disclose her deep worry. "But what's it gonna cost me?"

* * *

Outside of the courtroom, Ed watched from a distance as Peter Stone and Olivia had an animated conversation following the guilty verdict of Rob Miller. He couldn't make out what exactly was being said, but he had a good idea. Instead of joining them, he stayed where he was, waiting for Peter to leave so he could take Olivia home where she needed to be. But as he waited, he couldn't help but let his mind wander back through the emotional ride Miller had taken them on.

 _As they approached the entrance to Noah's school, Olivia took Ed's hand and squeezed. "How about we grab some ice cream after this, before we both go back in?"_

 _Ed just smiled and nodded, loving the carefree look she had given him. They had been working around the clock, both on different cases, and they made a pact to sneak away from their offices to get Noah that afternoon. Eager for some extra time with Noah and Olivia, Ed quickly agreed._

 _As Olivia looked around the school yard for her son, Ed mused "There's a new gelato place a few blocks from here…" but he noticed that Olivia was no longer carefree and her head was turning faster as she looked through the playground._

 _"I don't see him," she said, her voice a little more high-pitched than it had been. Ed tried to squeeze her hand, but she broke free and approached the administrator who was monitoring pick up._

 _"Olivia," she said, her face appearing surprised. "The unis just got Noah a few minutes ago."_

 _Olivia felt her body go numb. Ed placed his hand on her back and leaned in to question the lady further._

 _"What unis?"_

 _"Came in with orders from you, Lieutenant," she said simply, not appearing at all concerned despite the growing panic of the woman in front of her. "Taking him back to the precinct, just as you asked."_

 _Olivia needed no further information. She spun around, her hand blindly reaching for Ed and finally grasped the arm of his jacket as she frantically dialed Rollins. Ed's eyes were scanning the schoolyard and nearby sidewalks for any trace of trouble as he listened to Rollins tell Olivia that Noah was fine and with her. Though he felt her body relax, her voice was still full of terror._

 _"Don't let him out of your sight," she seethed, her hand releasing its grip on Ed and moving to rub her face, trying to wipe away the fear still flowing through her veins._

 _As she hung up the call, it was Ed who became tense. She followed his vision and they both landed their gaze on Rob Miller, standing tall outside of the school yard. Before Ed had a chance to say anything, Olivia tore off towards him. "Liv…" he gasped, but she either didn't hear him or ignored him._

 _"You son of a bitch," she seethed. For a minute, Ed thought she was going to hit him but as he went to pull her back, she stopped herself. Miller just smirked at her reaction._

 _"Take it easy," he said, "he's fine."_

 _"Stay away from my son."_

 _Shrugging, Miller didn't seem phased by the angry lieutenant. He remained calm. "Take my advice. Drop this case."_

Ed thought back to the tension that flew threw his body as Miller threatened Olivia, and Noah, right in front of him. Bringing himself out of the memory, he had to remind himself that Rob Miller was going to prison for a long time. He was done terrorizing his soon to be wife and son. Shaking his head quickly, as if to get rid of cobwebs, he focused his eyes back on Olivia. _She is perfect_ he thought to himself, willing himself to focus on the pure luck that she agreed to marry him. That she loved him. And that she let him love her. With those emotions now running through his veins, he couldn't help but move towards where she was talking to Stone. He saw her body language drop and his feet carried him faster, tired of the darkness overwhelming their lives, ready to put the last few months behind them.

"Tucker," Peter nodded at him and took one last glance at Olivia, before turning on his heels and walking away, his jacket flapping in the wind. Ed remained in place for a little while, watching Olivia as she watched Peter walk away and eventually disappearing into a black car.

"How ya doin'?" he finally asked, turning her body towards him and playing with a few strands of her hair.

"I…I don't know what just happened." Olivia's voice sounded stunned. Ed scrunched his face a little in confusion, so Olivia recapped her conversation.

"He's not leaving because of you, Liv. He's moving on." Noticing she wasn't absorbing his simple explanation, he went further. "You…Olivia, you are so good at this job. You pour your heart and soul into getting justice, and yes sometimes you get too sucked in, but you always come out of it. You can eventually separate yourself…and hang on to your principles. He couldn't. SVU was not the place for him."

"Perhaps you're right."

Ed smirked. "I know I'm right."

Olivia lightly elbowed him as they began walking towards the subway together. Before they descended the stairs, Olivia paused. Taking both of Ed's hands in hers, she pulled him close and kissed his lips.

"He was wrong about one thing though."

"Yeah? What's that…" he whispered, his forehead touching hers.

"He told me that I was the one person…who could make it on her own…"

Ed pulled one hand from her grasp and moved to trace her jaw. "You could…" he said. "You can."

"No," she said. "You're wrong too."

"Liv…"

"I need _you_. I can't…I can't make it without _you_."

Emboldened by her confession, he puffed his chest slightly, kissed her lips, and pulled her into his arms.

"You don't have to. I'm not going anywhere."


End file.
